Before the tournament
In the days leading up to the tournament :
• Focus on getting quality practice and repetitions in order to fine-tune some of the shots or movements you have been working on . It ’ s not the time to add new shots to your repertoire , or to suddenly start Erne-ing every ball if you ’ ve never done it before . Make sure to maximize the strengths in your game so you will be solid during the tournament days .
• Hydrate — make sure you ’ re drinking the right amount of water based on the temperature and how much energy you ’ re exerting . Maintaining a well-hydrated system is key to keeping things going . You may add electrolytes if you wish ; however , it ’ s not necessary if you ’ re eating well and only on the court for a couple of hours .
• Pay attention to your nutrition . Avoid processed and ultra-processed foods . Try to consume whole foods , cooked at home to avoid excessive fat and salt , which are unnecessary . Everyone is different , but increasing your protein intake slightly is beneficial for athletic performance .
• Try to maximize your sleep at night . Avoid using your handheld devices at least 30 minutes prior to falling asleep and sleep at least seven or eight hours .
On tournament days
Prior to the match :
• Eat a good breakfast . Avoid greasy foods and focus on whole grains ( such as oatmeal ), fruits , goodquality protein ( such as peanut butter ), good fats ( such as avocados ), and once again , maintaining good hydration .
• Get to the courts in time to properly prepare . Allow yourself to get to the courts about an hour prior to your match start time . This will give you time to get accustomed to the facility and check in , so you don ’ t have to worry about rushing for anything . Prior to stepping on the court , I recommend a medium-intensity dynamic warm-up . Remember : you potentially have a long day ahead , so you don ’ t want to waste all your energy in your warm-up . Spend about 10 to 15 minutes warming up off the court , then about 20 to 25 minutes on court hitting every shot you might use in the game ( dinks , drops , drives , lobs , overheads , serves , returns , volleys , resets , and blocks ).
During the day , be sure to maintain good hydration and nutrition . If you ’ re not hungry , smoothies are a great way to get some hydration while consuming calories to fuel your day . Be sure to add some peanut butter to your smoothie for added protein . After the match : This is an area that is often overlooked but is extremely important , especially in pickleball where you can play multiple matches in a day .
Once your match ends , don ’ t just sit down . Spend about 10 minutes doing a cool-down routine . This can look very similar to your initial dynamic warm-up , but instead of slowly ramping up your intensity , you go in reverse to wind it down . This step will help your body slowly acclimate back to a calm state , help your heart rate normalize , and redistribute blood all over your body to eliminate toxic metabolites faster .
It can sometimes be difficult to know how much time you have between matches at a tournament . However , if you do , and you have more than one hour to wait , I recommend performing a short ( 10-minute ) stretch session . If you have less time , then don ’ t stretch until later on .
At the end of the day
After your last match of the day , be sure to perform your cool-down routine , followed by a more extensive stretch session ( 30-45 minutes ). Because you ’ re finished for the day , it ’ s important to perform a longer stretch session to get ready for the next day . Other things to consider after a long day on the courts :
• Hot tub — this helps relax muscles and redistribute blood flow across your body .
• Cold plunge — some people seem to benefit from cold water immersion for the same reasons as hot water .
• Compression boots — again , the goal is to redistribute blood flow , as well as provide some relief to achy muscles . •
If you ’ d like to learn more , contact thepickleballdoctor @ gmail . com . The Pickleball Doctor works with pickleball ’ s No . 1 player in the world , Ben Johns .
Noe Sariban is a doctor of physical therapy and part of top pro player Ben Johns ’ team . He is known as The Pickleball Doctor and is a certified pickleball teaching professional through the IPTPA . Noe has a pickleball coaching business and teaches clinics and camps all over the USA . If you ’ d like to register for camps or lessons , contact thepickleballdoctor @ gmail . com .
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024 | MAGAZINE 81